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𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥

chapter twelve:
bring it on, babe !

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AFTER CRYING THE previous night, Athena really wanted nothing more than to sleep a little extra so she could clear the fog in her mind and get rid of her headache.

However, the universe had other plans, because she was awoken very abruptly by an air horn.

The very loud sound brought Athena out of her sleep with a start. She sat up, glancing around nervously. Through the darkness, she could see the other girls in the cabin doing the same exact thing, all on high alert. Athena was confused — it wasn't time to get up, and Maddox would definitely use her bugle like she did every morning, not an air horn. Not to mention that Maddox was there.

"Rise and shine, Shallow Lake!" Corbin Bleu's voice echoed from nearby.

"He's out of his mind," Kourtney muttered, getting up and putting on her slippers before heading to the door of the cabin. "He's out of his mind."

Athena groaned and fell backwards, her head hitting her pillow. "Why can't we ever catch a break?"

"I'm never waking up early again for the rest of the summer," Violetta agreed, her voice muffled because it had been buried in her pillow.

"Vi, we still have, like, three more days of camp."

"I meant after camp. You'll never see me before noon."

Kourtney came back not long after and told them that they were doing something called Color War, which was apparently a day of sports that happened every year at Camp Shallow Lake. They had to be at the amphitheater at eight.

Athena had fallen back to sleep for about another hour after she had been so rudely woken up. She woke back up to chatter around the cabin from the other girls talking about Color War — well, mostly it was Maddox telling them what sort of things they would have to do.

Violetta disappeared with Maddox, saying something about trying to practice her basketball skills — which, were basically nonexistent. Despite being a really good dancer and having a lot of coordination, Violetta was awful at sports.

Athena got out of her bed and got ready for the day. As she was brushing her hair out in the mirror, she could practically feel Gina's burning gaze behind her. Memories of last night and their argument came back to the surface.

No, Athena scolded herself. Do not let that ruin today. Have fun.

Once she was done getting ready, it was about five minutes until eight. She left the Honeycomb cabin with Ashlyn and Kourtney. The three of them walked to the amphitheater, and Athena instantly smiled once she noticed the decorations. Everything was a mix of blue and yellow and there was a huge banner that read Color War up on the stage.

Athena instantly spotted the curly-haired figure of her boyfriend sitting at one of the benches near the front. She bounded down the steps to the bench and reached up, ruffling his curls a bit. Ricky shook her hand off, making her let out a small giggle.

Ricky looked up at her and smiled. "Hi, pretty girl."

Athena smiled back at him as she sat down. "Hi, sweetheart."

"That's a new one."

She shrugged. "Seems fitting."

Ricky dipped his head down and kissed her gently, clearly not caring that a camera could potentially be recording them. "Morning."

"Morning," Athena replied, butterflies rushing through her stomach. "Ready for Color War?"

"I guess so. I'm not really the sports type, though."

"Hey, to be fair, you did nail the basketball part well when you played Troy."

Corbin then turned towards the crowd, stopping their conversation and gaining everyone's attention. "When I heard that the camp that's putting on Frozen for Disney Plus has a day that's emotionally similar to the 2006 to 2008 Disney Channel Games, I and the folks at the mouse HQ jumped at the chance to include this in our docuseries. Dewey, you wanna explain the rules?"

Dewey looked a little startled, but stepped forwards nonetheless. "Uh . . . yeah. Um, every camper is required to participate in a few challenges. There's two teams—"

"And within each team are teammates." Corbin took the clipboard from Dewey. "Okay, I got this. Okay. You know her, you love her. The captain of the Yellow Team is Maddox."

Athena grinned and clapped as Maddox stood up.

"Not sure, uh, everyone loves me, but thank you," Maddox stated.

"Didn't say they all did," Corbin responded. "And the captain of the Blue Team, the director of the show within the show, some people call him Spaceship Man. It's EJ."

Athena clapped for him as well.

"Yeah, EJ," Ricky encouraged.

"Let's go, Elton!" Violetta exclaimed.

EJ glanced back and playfully glared at her. Athena slowed her claps down. When did they make up? Violetta had literally stormed out of the barn last night.

"Now, with a big smile, tell the camera which of your Frozen friends are on each team," Corbin instructed, his hand on EJ's shoulder.

EJ talked with Corbin for a moment quietly before addressing the crowd. "Okay." He cleared his throat. "Um, on my team, we have Ricky, Ashlyn, Gina, and Violetta."

Athena clapped. She watched as all of them stood up. However, she couldn't help the way her heart slightly sank. She wasn't on the same team as her boyfriend and best friend? That was totally unfair.

"And then Maddox's team has Kourtney, Carlos, Jet, and Athena."

Athena patted Jet's shoulder as she stood up, noticing how he put his head in his arms — Jet and Maddox on the same team after their argument might not be the best thing, but Athena had to convince him it would be okay. "Come on, buddy. Let's go."

The two of them walked up to join the others at the front. Athena placed herself in between Kourtney and Carlos.

"Just so y'all know, I'm scrappy," Kourtney voiced. "I fight dirty, and I will cheat."

"Hmm, so it's in the bag," Maddox commented.

"I'm also incredibly afraid of heights."

"Okay, so plus, minus."

"Guys, if you were on a deserted island and could text one person, who would it be?" Corbin questioned to the camera. "Your mom? Your ex? Your life coach? Tomorrow, the winning team can text whoever they want when they get back their phones!"

Athena's eyes widened and she felt Kourtney shake her shoulder excitedly. To be honest, Athena was kind of having a good time without her phone, but she did miss talking to her parents and Artemis, especially since there was a limited time left until Artemis went off to school.

"That's against Shallow Lake policy," Dewey protested. "We are not—"

"Get your team colors from the bins," Corbin continued. "I'm Corbin Bleu, and you're watching Disney Plus."

Athena went to walk over to one of the bins to grab her colors, but she felt a hand on her wrist. She turned around to see Ricky standing next to her.

She let out a laugh. "Oh, hello Mr. Blue Team."

"Rival team romance," Ricky stated. "May the best team win . . . which is the Blue Team, obviously."

Athena crossed her arms and smirked up at Ricky, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I think you meant Yellow Team. Looks like you're going down, baby."

Ricky scoffed. He lowered his head so that they were now eye-to-eye, and their faces were so close that their noses were practically touching. Athena used all of her willpower to make sure her face didn't turn a bright shade of red. However, that didn't stop the racing of her heart. Ricky's eyes flickered from her lips back to her eyes, and a smirk settled on his face as well.

"Bring it on, babe," Ricky replied.

"Ricky," Violetta called, and the two turned to look in the direction of her voice. She was smirking at them, her hands placed on her hips. "Stop flirting with your girlfriend and come get your colors."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before walking off to get his colors. Athena went over to the yellow bin and searched through it, finding a couple of cute things that would work for a yellow outfit. She started to walk back to the Honeycomb cabin with them so that she could get changed, but Ricky joined her with his own blue clothes in hand.

"I've been meaning to ask you . . . are you okay?" Ricky inquired quietly. "Don't think I haven't forgotten that you cried in my lap last night."

"I'm good," Athena answered. Ricky raised an eyebrow, and she sighed. "Really, I am. I just had . . . a moment. But I'm okay now. Summer of fun, remember? It's color wars, today's going to be fun . . ." She smirked again, crossing her arms across her chest as she walked past him. "And you're still going down."

"Uh-huh, sure I am," Ricky responded, following after her. "Or you can just make me push you up against a wall again and we can see what happens when blue and yellow mix."

Athena's face burned a bright shade of red. "You've lost your talking privileges for the day. I actually hate you, like, so much."

Ricky poked the side of her stomach. "No, you don't."

"Unfortunately."

"Come on." Ricky slung an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "You know I only say those things to get you flustered."

Athena rolled her eyes fondly. "And I hate that it works."

Back at the Honeycomb, Athena, Kourtney, and Maddox got ready together while Violetta, Gina, and Ashlyn got ready together, considering they were on the same teams. Athena looked like the sunshine threw up on her — she was wearing a yellow crop top, yellow jean shorts, white Converse high-tops with yellow laces, had two streaks of yellow face paint underneath her eyes, and had her hair French braided where the ends were tied into two pigtails. She had borrowed some of the things from Maddox and Kourtney had done the face paint under her eyes.

Once Athena was finished, she left the cabin, followed by Kourtney and Maddox. She started to walk in the grass towards where the activities were. However, she was interrupted by Ricky — again. He had on a blue tank-top, blue shorts, and blue face paint under his eyes. She smiled at him, but her face morphed into confusion at the smirk on his face. Oh, that was never good. She backed up a couple steps to run in the opposite direction, but Ricky was too fast. He ducked down and captured her legs in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder. Laughing loudly, Ricky started to run away with her.

"Ricky!" Athena shrieked, her arms flailing to try and hold onto him. "Oh my God, Richard, put me down!"

"Hey!" Maddox shouted, amusement evident in her tone. "Give me back my teammate!"

Athena clutched onto the fabric of his shirt, giggles spilling past her lips. "Truce, truce, please, I'm seeing stars."

Ricky stopped his running and leaned down, setting Athena back on her feet. He grabbed her hands to steady her as she tried to blink the black spots out of her vision.

"Goodness," Athena let out. "Was that really necessary?"

"I think so," Ricky said.

"So making me dizzy was worth it? Great to hear."

Ricky gave her a look, but he grinned. "How can I make it up to you?"

Athena then got a mischievous smile on her face. She rounded around Ricky and jumped up onto his back, her legs wrapping around his waist and her arms hanging loosely around his neck. Ricky let out a small oof! at the sudden contact and stumbled forwards. He regained his balance and placed his hands underneath her thighs, hiking her up slightly so that she was at a more comfortable position on his back.

"Carry me to the yellow tent?" Athena suggested.

Ricky sighed. "Anything for you, Princess."

"Goddess, actually. Weren't you the one who told me I was?"

"I did. And I meant it."

"You're being exceptionally flirty today," Athena commented.

"I think the idea of us being on different teams is getting to my head," Ricky revealed. "Nothing like a bit of friendly competition."

"Oh, yeah, for sure. 'Cause that's what we are. Friends."

"Hey, I said it myself. We say we're friends, we play pretend."

The two passed all of the activities going on on their way to the yellow tent. Ricky stopped in front of it, where members of the yellow team who weren't involved in any events were hanging out. Jet was included in that. He was laying on the grass in a yellow track suit, a yellow soccer ball in his arms.

"Hey, buddy," Ricky greeted. "You getting in the zone?"

Jet looked up at them, and his eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why are you carrying her?"

"Because I made him," Athena replied. "What's up? Are you getting in the zone?"

"Not exactly."

"I guess it was pretty intense last night," Ricky voiced.

"Do you think I'm the worst?" Jet asked. "For the stuff that Maddie yelled at me about?"

"I've done more than a few things I'm ashamed of, dude, so I'm not one to judge." Ricky turned his head slightly in effort to glance at Athena. "Can I put you down now?"

"Yeah," Athena confirmed.

Athena got off of his back. Ricky crouched down at the ground. Athena sat on the grass next to him, pulling her knees up into her chest.

Jet sat up. "I thought those texts came from a guy, and I was like, why does she get to date when I'm not allowed to, you know? I mean, I just didn't really know what I was looking at."

"Does Maddox know this?" Ricky questioned.

Jet scoffed. "Not sure she'd even hear me. We used to sing together all the time as kids. Now we barely talk."

Athena frowned. She couldn't imagine not speaking to Artemis. Artemis was her best friend, truly.

Ricky let out a breath and sat down fully. "So, um, I once knew this girl who was pretty mad at me, and I deserved it. But, um, the one thing that really helped is that I threw myself into something she cared about. Like, I joined the show, and I worked really hard."

Athena smiled softly. She remembered how hard Ricky had worked to try and get Nini back. He hated theater and musicals before then. The one thing that she disagreed with was how Ricky thought he deserved Nini being mad at him because he didn't say he loved her back. He just wasn't ready.

Ricky nodded his head over to Athena. "That girl stopped being mad at me, but and then I got stuck with this one."

"Hey," Athena protested, pushing his shoulder, which made him laugh.

Jet stared at him. "Is being a theater kid the answer to, like, everything in your world?"

"Not all of it has to be theater," Athena explained. "What Ricky's trying to say is that Maddox loves camp, and today's Color War. You can help her win. I mean, there's only two teams. Either the Blue Team wins or the Yellow Team wins. There's a fifty-fifty chance."

"Oh, there's a third option where they burn the results in a pizza oven," Ashlyn cut in, and Athena laughed slightly, remembering how they burned their Menkies results in the oven at Salt Lake Slices.

Ricky laughed as well and pointed at Ashlyn. "I get it. That's good. Oh, man." When Ashlyn walked away, Ricky looked back at Athena and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. "Are you just saying that because you want the Yellow Team to win?"

"Absolutely," Athena confirmed. "I said you were going down, and I meant it." Athena stood up and looked down at Jet. "Come on. You and I have about five minutes to become basketball champions."

The three of them went to the basketball courts, where the Blue and Yellow Team were competing. Ricky was talking to Violetta on one side of the court while Athena stood with Jet. She watched as Jet dribbled the ball and shot it into the net.

"Is this a bad time to tell you that I'm awful at basketball?" Athena inquired.

Jet looked back at her. "Just throw it in the net. You'll be fine."

"Oh, wow. Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure to keep it in mind."

"Any time, 'Thena."

Athena grinned slightly to herself at the fact that Jet had used her nickname so casually. Maybe they were actually becoming real friends.

She then dribbled the ball and focused her eyes on the net. Athena threw the ball up, and the ball bounced against the rim before going into the net. She smiled excitedly. Jet raised his hand for a high-five, and Athena happily obliged.

"Hey, Attie," Ricky called.

Athena turned, stopping her celebration. "Yes?"

"This one's for you, my love."

Ricky then threw the basketball. However, he completely missed the net. It bounced off of the rim and landed on the ground.

Violetta instantly laughed loudly. "Oh my God, you loser."

"Wow," Athena commented, watching the basketball bounce up and down. "I'm so lucky. My boyfriend, the basketball star."

Ricky's face flushed a light shade of pink. "It was supposed to go in."

Athena nodded in understanding. "I know, baby." She then walked up to Kourtney. "I think I should quit theater and become a basketball star."

Kourtney shook her head. "Just remember me when you're famous."

A girl then shot a basketball, but it went totally rogue. "Look out!"

Athena's head whipped around. She watched with wide eyes as the basketball completely hit Violetta's head. Violetta stumbled for a moment, looking dizzy, before she fell. Ricky instantly caught her in his arms and gently lowered her down to the ground.

"Vi!" Athena exclaimed, running over to the other side of the court and kneeling down next to her best friend. "Oh my God."

"Out of my way," Carlos ordered. "This is my specialty."

Carlos then slapped her across the face.

"Carlos!" Athena scolded.

"It worked! Look, she's stirring."

Violetta's eyes fluttered open and she held onto her cheek. "Ow."

"Vi," Athena said. "Oh, thank God."

She glanced around in confusion. "What happened? Why did I suddenly get slapped?"

"You got hit with a basketball and got knocked out."

"But you still have a chance to be the hero," Kourtney announced.

Athena extended her hand out. Violetta took it, and Athena helped her stand up.

"For the record, the Yellow Team is about to win unless you can make one shot from the three-point line," Carlos explained. "Good luck, bestie."

"This would be very helpful for the documentary if you succeed," Corbin added.

"Okay, hold on," Athena interjected. She looked right at Violetta and put her hands on her shoulders. "Forget that we're on opposite teams right now, because I'm rooting for you. Listen, you may suck at basketball—"

"Wow, you're really boosting my morale here," Violetta voiced.

"But you know what you don't suck at? Dance. Use that passion you have when you do a calypso jump into a roll and put it into this last shot."

"Calypsos are easier than playing basketball, though."

"Yeah, maybe for you," Athena insisted. She shook Violetta's shoulders a little. "You got this. I'm right behind you, like always."

Ricky then extended the blue basketball to Violetta, and Athena dropped her hands from her shoulders. Violetta took the ball with a deep breath and turned towards the hoop. She glanced back at Athena, and Athena gave her a reassuring nod.

"Give me some space," Violetta stated.

All of them took a couple of steps backwards. Athena watched before her very eyes as Violetta did a single pirouette into a fan kick, and then pulling her feet into sous-sus, she shot the ball. It went straight through the net.

"Blue Team wins!" Corbin yelled.

Athena gasped excitedly and her smile widened. Violetta instantly turned to her and threw her arms around Athena. Athena laughed and hugged her back tightly, the two of them rocking back and forth.

"You did it!" Athena shouted, pulling away. "See, what did I tell you?"

Violetta grinned brightly. "What would I ever do without you?"

"Be really sad, probably."

"True."

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they started filming for season four already I can't breathe

ATHENA AND VIOLETTA MY BESTIES

also sorry if you couldn't understand my ballet lingo lol